Loch Lomond Brewery in International Women's Collaboration Brew Day

In celebration of International Women’s Day on Saturday 8th March 2014, Love Loch Lomond business members Loch Lomond Brewery will be participating in International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day (IWCBT).

International Women’s Day is celebrated every year to promote the equality of women across the world, and IWCBT has similar aims specifically within the brewing industry.

Female brewers, also known as ‘Brewsters’, will be teaming up across the world to brew the same recipe to create a truly unique and special beer: the “Unite Pale Ale”.

Loch Lomond Brewery owner Fiona MacEachern said: “I’m already a member of Project Venus which is a group of female brewers - we provide a network of female brewers across the UK, in a very male-dominated business. It’s a charity beer we will be brewing so it’s going to raise money for lots of different organisations: our profits will be going to good causes.”

“The beer will be available as cask ale in selected pubs around the country, and some of the breweries will also bottle their brew. Bottles will be available through on-line beer shop Ales by Mail.”

The event is the inspiration of Sophie de Ronde, Head Brewer at Brentwood Brewing Company in Essex. There is currently involvement from brewers in Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Canada.

Independently owned Loch Lomond Brewery celebrated its second birthday in November 2013.

Fiona continued:“The whole process is going to be lots of fun and will hopefully open up the business to lots of women — if we can raise money for a good cause by doing something fun then why not. “It’s a worthwhile career, it’s very physically demanding but it’s enjoyable and it’s a skill you can build a successful business around.

“Lots of people don’t know that for centuries, women would brew beer because it was originally done in the home, but when it became much more of a commercial practice, men moved in and took it over. So we’re basically taking back a job that was originally ours — of all alcoholic drinks, beer is the most female.”